Rex Smith (born September 19, 1955) is an American actor and singer. Smith made his acting debut in the Broadway musical Grease in 1978. He is noted for his role as Jesse Mach in the 1985 television series Street Hawk and for being the first actor to play the Marvel Comics superhero Daredevil in live action. During the late 1970s, Smith was popular as a teen idol. He was featured regularly in 16 Magazine and Tiger Beat. He also had a gold top 10 single, "You Take My Breath Away", in 1979.
Career Music In the early 1970s, Smith was the lead singer for a band from Atlanta called Tricks and then later a band named Phaedra. Smith next sang vocals in a hard rock band called Rex.
In 1979, he had a hit single from the television film Sooner or Later, entitled "You Take My Breath Away", which reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is on the platinum-selling album Sooner or Later, which is also named after the film. The music for this song was written by Stephen J. Lawrence and the lyrics were written by Bruce Hart. For many years, it was a staple on the play lists of FM radio stations with a soft rock or "lite" format.
In 1981, Smith reached the top 40 again with a remake of "Everlasting Love", in a duet with singer Rachel Sweet. Peaking at No. 32, the song is Smith's last charting to date. The song also became Smith's only appearance on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 35.
Smith performed live at the 1982 Miss Universe pageant main event night, held in Lima, Peru.
His latest album was released in 2000 and entitled Simply...Rex. It was re-released in 2006 and re-titled You Take My Breath Away.
In 2016, Rex performed in the Philippines at the Kia Theatre, Araneta Center.
Television Smith is best known for his role as motorcycle police officer Jesse Mach in the short-running 1985 television series Street Hawk, but he has also made guest appearances on a variety of television shows, such as The Love Boat, Baywatch, Caroline in the City and JAG. Smith has been a celebrity spokesperson for a number of corporate entities.
Also in 1982, Smith replaced Andy Gibb as a host on the music variety show Solid Gold.
In 1989, Smith played Daredevil in the television movie The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. This was intended as a backdoor pilot for an ongoing Daredevil television series (which did not materialize).
From 1990 through 1992, Smith was a contract player on the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns in the role of Darryl Crawford.
Stage In 1979, Smith made his Broadway debut in the musical Grease in the lead role of Danny Zuko.
Smith starred as Frederic in the New York Shakespeare Festival's Central Park production of The Pirates of Penzance. In 1981, Smith won the Theatre World Award for his role in Pirates. Smith reprised the role of Frederic in the 1983 film adaptation, along with fellow Broadway cast members Kevin Kline as the Pirate King, Linda Ronstadt as Mabel and Tony Azito as the Police Sergeant.
Smith has appeared in other Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including The Scarlet Pimpernel, Grand Hotel, The Human Comedy, and Annie Get Your Gun. He played Joe Gillis opposite Diahann Carroll as Norma Desmond in the 1995 Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard.
In 1995, Smith reprised his role as Danny Zuko throughout the touring production of Grease.
Smith also starred as Fred Graham/Petruchio in the 2001–02 national tour of Kiss Me, Kate.
In 2005, Smith again starred in The Pirates of Penzance, this time playing the role of the Pirate King.
Smith appeared as the Captain in The Sound of Music at the Ogunquit Playhouse, in 2010.
Smith has appeared in non-singing roles in two Neil Simon plays: Plaza Suite opposite Eve Plumb at Judson Theatre Company in 2015 and Barefoot in the Park at Sharon Playhouse in 2018.
Most recently, Smith played the role of Billy Mack in the multi-media production Love Actually Live at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in both 2018 and 2019.
Personal life Smith has been married four times: Lois Smith, a Playboy bunny; married from 1978 to 1983 Jamie Buell, married on February 28, 1987, and divorced in 1995. The couple have two daughters. Courtney Schrage, married in 1998 and divorced a few years later. She later became her husband's manager. The couple have a son and a daughter. Dr. Tracy Lin, born and raised in Los Angeles. They were married in September, 2009.
Smith also has a son, born in 1980, by Karen Lakey, a record-company representative with whom he had a weekend affair. Father and son met for the first time in 1997, during Smith's appearance in the musical Sunset Boulevard when he was signing autographs.
Smith is the brother of Michael Lee Smith, the singer of rock band Starz.
Discography Albums YearTitleLabel1976RexColumbia1977Where Do We Go from HereColumbia1979Sooner or LaterColumbia1979ForeverColumbia1980The Pirates of Penzance (Broadway Cast Album)Elektra1981Everlasting LoveColumbia1983CamouflageColumbia1995Sunset Boulevard (Original Canadian Cast Recording)Polydor1997The Human Comedy (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Kilmarnock Records 1999 The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore! (1998 Broadway Revival Cast)Atlantic2000Simply…Rex (re-titled You Take My Breath Away, 2006)MCA/Universal
Singles YearSinglePeak chart positionsAlbumUSUS ACAUSCANUK1978"You Take My Breath Away" 10 11 54 3 –Sooner or Later"Simply Jessie" – 31 – – –"Never Gonna Give You Up" – – – – –1979"Forever" – – – – –Forever"Let's Make a Memory" – – – – –1981"Everlasting Love" (with Rachel Sweet) 32 31 41 – 35Everlasting Love"Love Will Always Make You Cry" – – – – –
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1979Sooner or LaterMichael SkyeTV movie1980Headin' for BroadwayFast Eddie1983The Pirates of PenzanceFrederic 1987Shades of Love: The Ballerina and the BluesRick Peterson TV movie1988TransformationsWolfgang ShadduckAlternate title: Alien Transformations1989The Trial of the Incredible HulkMatt Murdock / DaredevilTV movie1990Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced SingerAndy SacksTV movie1994Once in a LifetimeJeffrey FieldsTV movie1994A Passion to KillTedAlternate title: Rules of Obsession (UK)1998Richie Rich's Christmas WishRudyDirect-to-video2006Pope DreamsDonAlternate title: Music for My Mother2006Collier & Co.Uncle BillyAlternate title: John Schneider's Collier & Co.: Hot Pursuit!2015Cats Dancing on JupiterRex Katz2016Surge of Power: Revenge of the SequelCube
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1979California FeverRex Smith Episode: "Underground Jock"1980The Love BoatMark Redding Episode: "Vicki's First Love"1980Saturday Night LiveFrederic / Musical Guest The cast of The Pirates of Penzance1982–83Solid Gold Himself Co-host (45 episodes)1984Faerie Tale TheatreThe PrinceEpisode: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"1985Street HawkJesse MachLead role (13 episodes)1986New Love, American StyleRookieEpisode: "Love and Dear Penelope"1986Murder, She WroteStew BennettEpisode: "If a Body Meet a Body"1986Dear Penelope and PeterBen BerlinPilot1987Houston KnightsJake BodineEpisode: "Desperado"1987Christmas with FlickaHimselfTV special1988Cagney & LaceyJerry Wickes Episode: "Old Flames"1990–92As the World TurnsDarryl CrawfordDaytime serial (40 episodes)1993Silk StalkingsBob JohnsonEpisode: "Night Games"1994CobraMark DanteEpisode: "Blast from the Past"1997The SentinelGalileo / Frank RachinsEpisode: "Dead Drop"1997JAGSgt. Max Frankl Episode: "The Court-Martial of Sandra Gilbert"1997Caroline in the CityDr. David Engel Episode: "Caroline and the Free Cable"1998Pacific BlueHudson MillerEpisode: "Caretakers"1998BaywatchGavin Episode: "Friends Forever"1999Malibu, CAJesse Mercer Episode: "Jason's Song"2000The Norm ShowPirate #1Episode: "Norm vs. Jenny"2002Just CauseKeith TempleEpisode: "Fading Star"2007City GirlsBen MorganPilot
Stage TitleRoleProduction datesTheatreGreaseDanny Zuko April 13 - June 3, 1979 US Touru/s Danny Zuko (replacement) July 1979 - April 13, 1980 Broadway: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre / Majestic TheatreThe Pirates of PenzanceFredericAugust 5, 1980 - November 28, 1982Off-Broadway: Delacorte Theatre Broadway: Uris Theatre / Minskoff Theatre, New York CityThe Human ComedySpanglerApril 5–15, 1984Broadway: Royale Theatre, New York CityWest Side StoryTonySeptember 3–21, 1985Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.BrownstoneStuartOctober 8 – December 6, 1986Off-Broadway: Union Square Theatre, New York CityCarousel Billy Bigelow August 15 – September 11, 1988 US TourAnything GoesBilly CrockerOctober 18, 1988 – January 15, 1989US National TourGrand HotelFelix Von Gaigern (replacement)April – May 1990Broadway: Martin Beck Theatre, New York CityGreaseDanny ZukoSeptember 24, 1994 – 1995US National TourSunset BoulevardJoe GillisOctober 15, 1995 – August 18, 1996Canadian Tour: TorontoDecember 1, 1996 – April 9, 1997Canadian Tour: VancouverThe Scarlet PimpernelChauvelin (replacement)October 10, 1998 – May 30, 1999Broadway: Minskoff Theatre, New York CityAnnie Get Your GunFrank ButlerJuly 11 – October 29, 2000US National TourFrank Butler (replacement)April 17 – May 6, 2001US National TourKiss Me, KateFred Graham / PetruchioJune 19, 2001 – June 16, 2002US National Tour The Pirates of Penzance The Pirate King June 30 – July 15, 2007 Carpenter Performing Arts Center The Sound of Music Captain Georg von Trapp June 30 – July 24, 2010 Ogunquit PlayhouseHeathers: The Musical Coach Ripper / Big Bud Dean / Ram's Dad September 21 – October 6, 2013 Hudson Backstage TheatreGrease Vince Fontaine May 2 – July 27, 2014 Welk Resorts TheatreLove Actually LiveBilly Mack November 27 – December 29, 2019Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing ArtsNovember 27 – December 31, 2021 Aida Zoser September 30 – October 1, 2022 James K. Polk Theater
References
External links
Rex Smith Interview